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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1. J. 0. ST. JOHN.

HARP. No. 463,368; Patented Nov. 17,1891.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. 0. ST. JOHN.

BARR No. 463,368. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

ITOTNESSES. /NVNT0R.

UNTTEE STATES .PATENT QEFICE.

JOHN C. ST. JOHN, OE BOS'UN, MASSACHUSET'S, ASSIGNOR TO BARRY, OF SAMEPLACE.

EDVARD P.

HARP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,368, dated November17, 1891.

Application filed December 11, 1890. Serial No. 374.376- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Ee it known that I, JOHN C. ST. JOHN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the ci ty of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Harps, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to harps, more particularly such as are known aszithers, and it has for its object to provide novel means for vibratingand sounding the strings to produce a musical chord, air, melody, orother musical effect.

The invention consists in the combination, with a harp, of a pick -barprovided with finger-pieces or picks and movable lengthwise transverselyto the harp-strings, and also movable in a direction toward and from thestrings for the purpose of causing the fingerpieces or picks to bearupon or pass by certain strings, and thereby vibrate and sound the same.

The invention also consists in other features of construction andcombination of parts, which are fully hereinafter described, and pointedout in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a harp or zither provided with myinvention and showing a portion of the pick-bar casing broken away tomore clearly exhibit the pick-bars Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken onthe line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on theline 3 3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail sectional'view taken on theline at 4:, Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A represents the body and sounding-board of a zitherhaving strings stretched and held thereon, all and otherwise as wellknown.

B is the appliance of this invention, and b b are its projectedfinger-pieces or picks. This appliance B is shown as composed of astraight bar (in a series preferably parallel and alongside of, eachother) that lies across and above the strings, and on its under side hasthe downwardly-projected finger pieces or picks, in combination withaboxing or casing E for said bar or bars, if of a series. This casing Dconsists of end pieces D D firmly held on the harp-body, and a top plateor board D held on said end pieces. Each end piece on its inner wall hasa shoulder d and (Z respectively, in the same horizontal plane, and one(I to serve as a rest forthe bar or bars when in their normal position,and the other (Z as a stop to the downward movement of the bar or barstoward the strings, and both as supports to the bar or bars on amovement thereof lengthwise across the strings.

f is a bent spring, one for each bar, and severally held on one of theend blocks of the casing and arranged to press upward on its bar, and gis a coiled spring, one for each bar, and confined in the opposite endblock of the casing and there arranged to press against the end andlengthwise of the bar, which is at rest thereon. The downward movementof a bar is against and its upward movement is by reaction of the bentspring f, and the movement of a bar across the strings is in onedirection against and in its other direction by the reaction of thecoiled spring g. By the downward movement of a bar its picks are placedbetween certain strings of the harp, and then by its movement across theharp said picks are passed into contact with and by the strings, whichare suitably situated therefor, the whole resulting in a vibration andsounding of such strings by the picks, and on relieving the pressurefrom the bar, causing said movement thereof, the bar returnsautomatically to its normal position in an upward direction by thereaction of its bent spring)" and in a lengthwise direction by thereaction of the coiled spring g.

For convenience of manipulating, as has been explained, the bar has ahandle E near its downward, moving end which projects upward through alengthwise slot h of the easing-top D", all such as to allow of themovements of the bar, as explained, and otherwise for the opposite endsof the slots to act as limits to the lengthwise movement in eitherdirection of the bar.

Obviously for securing musical cifects such as the sounding of a chord,&c.-by the operation of a bar or bars, as has been explained, picks areto be suitably arranged therefor.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination, with a harp, of a pickbar having finger-pieces orpicks movable lengthwise transversely to the harp-strings, and alsomovable in a direction toward and from the harp-strings for causing thefingerpieces or picks to bear upon and pass by certain strings, andthereby vibrate and sound the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a harp, of an appliance consisting of a barlying across and above the strings of the harp and having projectedfinger-pieces or picks b for vibrating and sounding certain strings, acasing D for said bar having opposite end blocks D held on the harp-bodyand on theirinner walls provided with shoulders (Z (Z and a top D, heldon said end blocks and near one of them having a slot h, in combinationwith a handle on the bar extending through said slot 7b, and springs fg, held on the end blocks of the casing and otherwise in position toact, the one f upward on the handle end portion and the other 9lengthwise of the bar, substantially as described, and for the purposesspecified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing wito nesses.

JOHN 0. ST. JOHN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. BROWN, FRANCES M. BROWN.

